So cold
by Lyndymui
Summary: A character from one world travels to another, saving a life, and perhaps changing the course of history (character death)


So cold ... she repeated over and over again ... so cold.

She lay there unable to move, cold seeping through her bones. She had lost track of time.

Hours?

Days?

Weeks?

She didn't think so, but didn't really care any more. She didn't know if she slept or just drifted in and out of consciousness. She didn't really care any more - she just wanted it to be over before the bad things found her.

She knew she was dying ... but this was not how she had imagined it to be.

Oh, she never thought she would have the luxury of growing old and dying in her bed surrounded by doting grandchildren. But she didn't think it would be in some sort of cave either, with no friends around her and surrounded by enemies she could only hear, and their incessant drumming.

She shivered ... it was so cold.

The pain had gone - another clue she was dying she told herself.

Suddenly the noises around her stopped. It sounded like something was calling out orders and the creatures she had felt getting so close, changed direction and moved away from her ... but the drums got louder.

She squinted upwards and could see small figures scurrying over a narrow rock bridge. One stopped to confront something unlike anything she had seen on the Hellmouth. She had thought, when she fell through the glowing black swirly thing that had suddenly materialised at her feet as she walked home, that it had taken her somewhere away from the earth she knew ... well there was the proof.

She still had no way of knowing where she was and had thought she was in Hell at first, but also thought that Hell would be warmer somehow ... with less drums. But she just didn't really care anymore.

Two other figures had turned back to help the first one but at that moment the bridge seemed to collapse and the monster fell. She nodded to herself in satisfaction that the bad guy was going to get splatted, then her eyes widened in horror as one of the other figures fell after it.

Her fingers clenched into the earth and she used her last reserves of energy to concentrate on the second falling figure.

It hadn't worked for her to be able to help herself, but just maybe ...

... "Fly you fools!" he cried as he fell into the abyss.

The Balrog had whipped his tail at the last minute catching him at the knees and pulling him after it. His arms flailed as he fell but he felt strangely calm, knowing the others had escaped. That meant there was still a chance.

As he tried to gather his power around him, he felt something else reaching for him. A comforting embrace, slowing his speed, calming his mind even further, lowering him gently. As he neared the ground he felt the presence weakening but he was close enough to be able to land safely.

He looked around him, still wary even as he heard the pulsing, beating drums moving deep into the mines.

His eye was caught by a small figure lying crumpled a short distance from him. He could still feel the residual magic coming off the ... girl? ... as he got closer.

She lay at the foot of a cliff, body twisted at odd angles and he felt a pang of sorrow as he knelt beside her. He smoothed her red matted hair back from her forehead and was again struck by how young she seemed. He noticed her strange clothing but didn't dwell on it.

How she came to this vile place he didn't care. All he knew was that, with what appeared to be her last breath, she had somehow saved his life.

He murmured a few words and, bending forward, picked up the body, vowing not to leave her behind and stumbled onwards his eyes clouding with tears.

Disclaimer: No-one is mine, I didn't make them up and the characters and the universes they normally live in belong entirely to their creators and respective television companies (I assume). Based on the book "Lord of the Rings" rather than the film.

All I will admit to doing is taking these characters and their universes and mixing things up a bit. Hope you enjoy.

As this is an AU story, some of your favorite characters or events will probably not appear or be mentioned.


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